Causes of confusion

From THE.

Assalamualaikum,

Dalam dok saja2 ni, saya nak share sini talk  oleh Sheikh Hamza Yusof di KL  Convention Ctr,  mana yg smpat dicatit. This was in July 2019.

Ada parts of this talk dlm Youtube.

The talk was titled CAUSE OF CONFUSION, about some of the problems faced by Muslims in today's modern world and how to  solve them.

Selamat membaca dan moga ada manfa'at.

*CAUSES OF CRISIS AND CONFUSION*

1. Ignorance/jahl of knowledge.  Therefore Islam uphold the importance of seeking knowledge. The knowledge of fard ‘ain followed by fard kifayah.

2. Love of dunya. This is a Dajjalic phenomenon. History shows all civilizations were based on some sort of religious/ God-consciousness principles, but Dajjal removes this concept and promotes only dunya as the sole purpose for existence. People usually forgot there is another world and get so occupied with this world. 

3. Losing connection with the Creator. One then forgets what the purpose of life is. Knowledge will tie us to our Creator. That is why the foremost knowledge is to know the Creator. Awwaluddin ma’rifatullah (the beginning in religion is to know Allah)

*FAMILIES*

1. Islam values the family institution/nasab/lineage as one of its most important cornerstones. It has to be uphold. Societies crumble when family units are not functioning.

2. Moral values cannot run by itself without being guided by some divine principles. Reasons cannot function alone without revelations. How to tell what is right and what is wrong if it is only based on societal values and preferences?

3. Gender is a creation of Allah. It shall not be determined by societies. In the Western world today, individuals can choose their own gender (you can be what you want to be). This is a misguided idea as males and females are biological aspect of a human being. It is the determined by the chromosomes (XX and XY), it has nothing to do with preferences/tendencies. Once you go against biological make-up, mankind will suffer.

*GOVERNMENT*

1. SHY says he is often accused as being pro government. But he said he views government in the form of order, and not from a political angle. Order is necessary for a civil society. Chaos will bring anarchy.

2. Stable government although not a very good one is important to people to conduct their lives.

3. Respect government as it is important for a society to function. SHY said he could not find in classical Islamic texts that permit citizens to rise up against governments no matter how bad they are. Only if the rulers are going against syari’ah then there is a provision to remove them.

4. Muslims are to be patient under bad rulers and make do’a for leaders to be guided by Allah.

5. Of course there are situations where removal by force is necessary within the syaria’ limits. 

6. Good people will produce good leaders. Many people want a change in government but unwilling to make changes within themselves first. SHY quotes from the Quran : Allah will not change the condition of a group of people unless they change themselves.

7. Scholars say 70 years under bad leaders/government is better than 1 day in anarchy. Anarchy brings lawlessness, disrespect for human lives and loss of morality. Situations in Libya, Syria and Afghanistan are results from collapse of governments.

8. All governments have corruption problems. Whether a lot, some or little. Because power corrupts. A good government make efforts to reduce corruption.

*MALAYSIA*

1. SHY finds that in Malaysia is traditionally a society which values adab highly. Preserve it, as it brings up a society which place respect for parents, teachers and people of knowledge. 

2. Islam in Malaysia are closely related to the Ghazalian tradition. This is good for society as Imam al Ghazali is probably the last mujaddid who mastered the 3 aspects of the religion; theology, jurisprudence and tasawwuf. 

3. Malaysia have/had a tradition of world reknowned scholars . He mentions Sayyed Naquib al Attas, Hamzah Fansuri

4. Malaysia is a model Islamic country. Malaysia is regularly used as a reference by Muslims throughout the world as  a functioning Muslim nation.

*GOOD NASIHAH*

1. Rasulullah SAW method in dealing with people is never put people down, instead honor and elevate them, even if they were your enemies. He quotes the sirah when Islam conquered Makkah, Rasulullah SAW could have punished the Mushrikin who had oppressed Muslims earlier, but he said, those who take refuge in Abu Suffiyan’s (one of the bitter enemies) house will be protected. He gave Abu Suffiyan a status rather than humiliate him.. 

2. He quotes the verse, You (Muslims) are the best of people and brought up for all mankind. Therefore Islam is best for all mankind not for Muslims only. This is a universal mercy. 

3. Don’t ever feel down with anything that comes to you. Remember only Allah is Perfect. Everything other than Allah has deficiencies. Because of that imperfections of makhluk, your family will let you down, your friends will let you down, your wealth will let you down, your environment will let you down, but Allah is Perfect, He will never let you down. Always ask from Him.

4. Scholars say the nature of this life is, it is full of tribulations, anxieties, difficulties and struggles. To survive in this world, inculcate in your sense a sense of gratitude/ syukur, no matter how bad the situation is. Because Allah says in the Quran, if you are grateful, I will increase (my blessings/rizq/rahmah) upon you.